Monday, August 25, 2014

I am qualified to speak Tagalog!

So this area is real good. It's just the right size and I love the members here. We have so many dinner appointments (I promise that's not the only reason I love it here). I promise you I will not be a picky eater when I get home. As in. I eat lots of weird stuff... And this week maybe my companion tried to feed my balut. If you are not familiar with that, it's like I don't really know. Basically it's a chicken egg that's kinda old now and then you eat it. But there is definitely a chick inside. The kind Sister Salde bought has like a soup... I don't know what the word is in English. I couldn't bring myself to eat the chick, but I drank the soup stuff. It basically tastes like chicken noodle soup, but not. Anyway... that happened.

We also had our mission tour this week. The Area President of the Philippines, Elder Ian S. Ardern visited and we had a zone conference. I really enjoyed it and I learned a lot. I want to share one thing I learned with you and that is about scripture study. We need to spend time every day reading the words of our Heavenly Father. It is what we help us and enable us to endure to the end. But President Ardern talked about how we should study the scriptures and I have been trying some new ways to study my scriptures. I have been really stopping and taking time to think about each verse, each verse has a purpose, and after every verse, I try and apply it to myself. I know it sounds so simple and probably I should have done it before, but I am learning so much in a way I never did before. Amazing.

Also, a little while ago, I took a Tagalog test. As in, they tested me on how well I could speak Tagalog. Maybe I was a little bit scared and they would be like "Sorry, Sister Holmes, you are not qualified in Tagalog. We are going to have to send you home." Of course that did happen and I was actually surprised. It was actually a good experience even though when we were in the internet shop, everybody was just staring at me lik "What is this American doing speaking Tagalog?" Some of the questions were hard, like compare this and tell a story and make them feel like they were there. Stuff like that. It was hard, but it helped me feel more comforatble with my Tagalog. I think if I was still new, I would have cried. Buti na lang. :)

Anyway. I love you all, I'm grateful I'm here and for those that have helped me get here.